This morning tens of thousands (my educated guess is anywhere upwards of 50 000) people attended a rally at Hyde Park, then march to the Sydney Cricket Ground to attend a rock concert in protest at the industrial relations laws of the Howard federal governmment.The issue is looming as a major factor in the federal election which is due later this year.
People of all ages took part, and I believe the cricket ground is full for the "Rockin For Rights" concert. Lots of well-known Australian acts on the bill.
I've posted some more pics at Sydney Daily Photo Extra.
industrial relatons all over the world are being battered and a sea change seems to be in the offing. labor is now being treated as just another commodity minus the human factor.
ReplyDeleteWOW ... thats a lot of people!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it's time to people the barricades again!Sally, that line-up for the concert sounds brilliant....some of my faves, The Whitlams,Kev Carmody,Richard Clapton, Beasts of Bourbon. Did you go to the concert??
ReplyDeleteSally, I didn't hear David and Margaret's review,( not yet anyway) but listened to Geraldine Doogue and Julia Rigg on RN yesterday....they pretty much said what i did, and of course,I've since found out that the Anna Holzt character is fictious!
ReplyDeleteI didn't go to the concert, but I am sure everyne who did had a great time. For the cost of $5 what a bargain!
ReplyDeleteThe Minister for Industrial relations, Joe Hockey, was clutching at straws in the media, saying that "The union's campaign is such a failure they have to have a rock concert to get people interested."
Well, such a failure that this many people were prepared to walk a few kilometres to it!!
I've been in 80,000-100,000+ crowds before, and this had very much that feel about it. But it's hard to tell when you're in it!
A great photo of a whole lot of people. The quote by Joe Hockey sounds like he is losing already, and is making fun of the people's efforts to oust him it sounds like to me.
ReplyDeleteA very interesting post. Elections in this country have gone mad. Look at what got elected president here the last time.
Abraham Lincoln
Brookville Daily Photo
Nice way to capture all those people.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteIn Singapore, crowds like this only appear during the Great Singapore Sale! haha..
Actually, just yesterday, I took a picture of a huge crowd, but it was all ladies. Why? It was a Great Shoes and Bags Sale!
It is a very common scene here also in Calcutta also, protest rallies to demand rights from the government especially industrial rights...well captured shot!
ReplyDeleteAbstaining from talking politics on this beautiful Sunday...except the French election, of course! (seems Sarkozy is winning).
ReplyDeleteThe concert sounds awesome!
Sally, would you consider vacationing in Naples, FL? I need you to do some rabbit hunting here and teach me about those savory pies;-)
They had to preserve the energy for 1 May day.
ReplyDeleteGood to draw attention to this. Hope crowds will be out in force on May Day as well. Your rights at work - Worth "fighting" for!
ReplyDeleteDuring the Anti Viet Nam War protests, Sally, even though the overwhelming majority of Australians supported the War, we had much bigger crowds than this "50,000". We did it without a cheap concert attached; but when it came to the 1966 Federal Elections, we were annhialated.
ReplyDeleteParis had even more amazingly spectacular demonstrations in 1968; but look what De Gaulle then achieved in their elections. It doesn't always pay to become too excited about "numbers".
Glad the Australian workers haven't given up on the subject.
ReplyDeleteNice to see so many people in the streets, it seems to hardly ever happen here compared to France...